Discover the 9 Countries That Start With L in 2024

Countries that start with the letter L include Laos, Latvia, Lebanon, Lesotho, Liberia, Libya, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, and Luxembourg. Read on to learn more about these amazing fruits!

Check out this comprehensive list of the nine countries that start with L and learn about their populations, land area, geographic features, and wildlife. You will learn about regions in Europe, Asia, and Africa, from vast desert-covered land to small mountain-covered forests. Let’s dive in!

1. Laos

The Lao People’s Democratic Republic is in Southeast Asia and is a landlocked country sharing borders with China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, and Myanmar. Vientiane is the capital city of Laos, which is on the Mekong River. And the country’s total population is 7.4 million.

This country is nearly covered in dense forests, mountains, and hills. You will also find steep terrain and river valleys. Laos has a tropical climate with monsoon seasons from May to October. The temperature is typically very warm and humid.

Wildlife in Laos: Sun bear, Asian elephant, clouded leopard, lar gibbon, rhinoceros, Sunda pangolin, Irrawaddy dolphin, Indochinese tiger   

2. Latvia

This Baltic state is a country in Europe bordered by Estonia, Russia, Lithuania, and the Baltic Sea. The capital of Latvia is Ruga, a cultural center home to museums and wooden buildings. There are 1.8 million people in Latvia.

 Latvia contains grasslands, rolling plains, and marshy meadows. The country features a temperate climate with mild, humid temperatures and four distinct seasons.

Wildlife in Latvia: Arctic fox, badger, lynx, white wagtail, moose, brown bear, wild boar, peregrine falcon, osprey, golden eagle, red fox

3. Lebanon

The Republic of Lebanon is a Mediterranean country in West Asia that shares borders with Syria, Israel, and the Mediterranean Sea. Beirut is its capital city and the largest city in Lebanon. The country’s total population is 5.3 million.

Along with its Mediterranean shore, Lebanon features mountains that steeply rise from the coast and cover most of the country. Due to its location, Lebanon has a Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers and cool, wet winters.

Wildlife in Lebanon: Caracal, Nubian ibex, goat, Egyptian fruit bat, golden jackal, wolf, striped hyena, Egyptian mongoose, beech marten, European otter, Persian fallow deer  

4. Lesotho

This landlocked country in Southern Africa is a landlocked country entirely surrounded by the Republic of South Africa. Maseru is the capital city of Lesotho and also the largest city in the country. Lesotho has a total population of 2.3 million.

Lesotho is a primarily mountainous and hilly country with highlands and plateaus. It features a temperate alpine climate with hot summers and very cold winters.

Wildlife in Lesotho: lion, leopard, aardwolf, zebra, cape hyrax, aardvark, mountain reedbuck, cheetah, black rhinoceros, grey-crowned crane, common eland, brown hyena

5. Liberia

Liberia is a West African country along the Atlantic Coast. It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean, Sierra Leone, Guinea, and the Ivory Coast. The capital of Liberia is Monrovia, which lies on the Cape Mesurado Peninsula. The country features 5.4 million people.

This country features a diverse topography with sandy coastal plains, rolling hills, lagoons, and mangrove swamps. Liberia ranges between an equatorial and tropical climate, with the northern regions influenced by the West African Monsoon.

Wildlife in Liberia: Gorillas, bats, chimpanzees, pangolins, elephants, African buffalo, pygmy hippopotamus, antelope, anteater, leopard, red river hog     

6. Libya

Located in the Maghreb region in North Africa, Libya is the fourth-largest country on the continent, as well as one of the largest in the world. Libya borders the Mediterranean Sea, Algeria, Egypt, Chad, Tunisia, Sudan, and Niger. Tripoli is the capital of Libya, and the country has a total population of 6.8 million.

The Libyan Desert covers most of the country, consisting of a plateau that’s part of the world’s largest scorching desert, the Sahara. Much of the country has a hot, arid climate, except for the coastal regions, which are influenced by the Mediterranean.

Wildlife in Libya: Flamingo, striped hyena, cheetah, Dorcas gazelle, addax, fennec fox, crocodile, Barbary sheep, Arabian eagle   

7. Liechtenstein

This German-speaking landlocked country is in Europe and shares borders with Switzerland and Austria. Vaduz is the capital of Liechtenstein, and the country has a population of 39,500.

This mountainous country sits in the Upper Rhine Valley of the European Alps, and 44% of its land is covered in forests. It features a continental climate with cold, cloudy winters and slightly warm and humid summers.

Wildlife in Liechtenstein: Red deer, roe deer, pheasant, hazel grouse, chamois, fox, badger, marten, stoat, polecat, weasel, wild boar, osprey, European robin

8. Lithuania

The Republic of Lithuania is a European country that lies on the Baltic Sea’s eastern shore. It borders with Latvia, Belarus, Poland, and the Baltic Sea. Vilnius is the capital city of Lithuania, and the country has a total population of 2.7 million.

Lithuania is a beautiful region of the world, featuring flat plains, forests, rolling hills, and a dense network of rivers and lakes. This country has a humid continental climate with freezing winters and mild summers.

Wildlife in Lithuania: White stork, Eurasian lynx, Eurasian otter, wild boar, wolf, red fox, mallard, moose, roe deer, bison, gray seal

9. Luxembourg

This rural European country shares borders with Belgium, Germany, and France. The capital city of Luxembourg is Letzeburg, which is in the south-central region. The country features a population of 640,000.

Despite its small size, Luxembourg has a diverse landscape of rolling hills, plains, forests, rivers, and lakes. It has a moderately continental climate with cold winters and mild summers.

Wildlife in Luxembourg: Eurasian beaver, pine vole, European wild cat, European otter, red fox, brown bear, Eurasian wolf, black stork, Canada goose 

Summary of the 9 Countries That Start With L

The Most Populated Country That Starts With L

With a population of 7.4 million, Laos is the most populated country that starts with L. Most of the country’s population inhabits the valleys along the Mekong River.

The Largest Country That Starts with L By Land Area

Libya is the largest country by land area that starts with L. This African country covers 679,400 square miles and is the fourth-largest country in Africa. It is also one of the largest countries in the world, approximately 253% of the area of Texas.

The Oldest Country That Starts With L

Liberia became a country in 1847. It’s the oldest country that starts with L. This country declared independence from the American Colonization Society on July 26, 1847. 

The Youngest Country That Starts With L

Attaining full independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, Latvia is the youngest country that starts with L. This country, along with the two other Baltic countries, declared independence from the Soviet Union in 1990. However, Latvia had fought for independence and established it own government already in 1918-1922 after centuries of rule by other countries. Once again, though, it was swallowed up the the USSR after World War II.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Hussein Eddeb/Shutterstock.com